Essential Condiments to Keep in Your Pantry

Keeping the right condiments is one great way to achieve good taste for every meal. Right condiments not just add flavor to your dishes but also contribute to the overall quality, including texture and fragrance, of a certain dish. Read on to know what essential condiments you need in your pantry.

Tomato Paste

Tomato paste is an essential condiment that creates good foundation for different dishes. It is a great ingredient for enriching tomato flavor and adding thickness to sauces, marinades, stews, and soups. Just make sure to add just the right amount as too much can result in a sharp tomato flavor and can give the meal too much acidity. Tomato paste can be purchased in cans, tubes or made at home.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a staple condiment in most Asian cooking. It is widely used in adding saltiness in a variety of dishes or as a table condiment. Soy sauce is great for making marinade or adding flavor to stir-fried dishes, fried rice, soups, and stews. You can choose from different types of soy sauce that vary in consistency and strength of flavor. Use light soy sauce to flavor stir-fried veggies or chicken dishes, and dark soy sauce to color noodle dishes.

Mustard

Mustard is another essential condiment that adds spice, fragrance, and a deep flavor to a variety of meal preparations. Aside from being great as a hotdog or sandwich filling, this golden condiment is also excellent for salad dressings, meat marinade, or dipping sauce.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a thick and creamy condiment used as a dipping or spreading sauce. Its rich and distinct flavor also make it perfect as a thickening ingredient, salad dressing, or sushi filling. Additionally, mayonnaise can be used as an oil substitute in making cake mixture.

Hot Sauce

Hot sauce is a condiment that brings peppery or spicy flavor in any dish. It is best used in making spicy dishes like chicken wings and barbecue or lifting up the flavor of your meal by adding pungent taste and extra heat. You can choose from Mexican, Asian or Cajun hot sauces which vary on flavor and level of spiciness.

Aside from these condiments, you can also include ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, or some cooking wine. These condiments can surely make every meal you prepare savory, tangy, and much more exciting to consume.